CHRISTMAS is a time for giving and across the years schools and community groups in Furness have done their best to bring festive cheer to everyone from the homeless and children's charities to people in need overseas.

Events through the years have included everything from singing carols for Save the Children to filling shoe boxes with gifts for the elderly and children in countries coming to terms with life outside the old Soviet Bloc in Eastern Europe.

In December 1996 pupils from Parkview School, Barrow, borrowed supermarket trolleys to deliver food parcels through the town centre streets to the drop-in centre for the homeless at Bath Street.

The Mail, on Christmas Eve, 1992, noted: "Volunteers are bracing themselves for a dramatic increase in the number of homeless seeking help when the borough's Christmas shelter opens its doors today.

"Last year Furness Shelter's temporary hostel provided a seasonal lifeline for about 30 homeless in Barrow but this year the numbers are likely to soar.

"A new report from the Citizens Advice Bureaux says Barrow has the third highest homeless rate in the county and the figures are increasing.

"Furness Shelter's Garry Kirby said the town's economic problems coupled with the national recession will mean a homeless crisis this Christmas.

"This week more than 50 volunteers have been collecting fresh food, clothes and bedding for the expected flood of homeless at a temporary shelter in St Luke's Church Hall on Roose Road.

"Mr Kirby said most of the visitors will probably be under 25 and single.”

It was the third year that Furness Shelter had provided emergency accommodation for the homeless.

In the early 1990s life was tough in Poland and youngsters got involved with the Furness Lions to help fill shoe boxes to be sent overseas ready for Christmas - packed with everything from beans to buttons,

In February 1993 the Lions district governor Norman Boyce, international officer George Rodgers and Furness president Tom Ashley visited to award the whole school with a certificate of thanks.

By October that year, the youngsters had filled more gift boxes with everyday non-perishable goods.

Poland Aid organiser Tony Wells said: "The thought and effort which must have gone into this is really tremendous."